Digging in the Dirt - Archives

Gloria Frazee joins me as a regular monthly guest on Digging in the Dirt. Gloria is co-chair of the Social Media & Web Committee and co-leader of the ReWild/South Fork chapter and its Summer Program for high school students. She is also the founder of ReWild/East Hampton Compost…. in collaboration with the Town of East Hampton.

The latest from Gloria and Rewildlongisland.org

I want you to welcome back Gloria Frazee of ReWild Long Island. At ReWild, Gloria is co-chair of the Social Media & Web Committee and co-leader of the ReWild/South Fork chapter and now is a regular contributor to this program. Gloria will be joining me every 2nd Thursday of the month during the 12 noon hour.

My guest this episode of Digging in the Dirt is Gloria Frazee. Gloria is Secretary of the East Hampton Energy & Sustainability Committee. At ReWild, she is co-chair of the Social Media & Web Committee and co-leader of the ReWild/South Fork chapter and its Summer Program for high school students. She is also the founder of ReWild/East Hampton Compost…. in collaboration with the Town of East Hampton. You can find her talking with folks about turning food scraps into soil food at the ReWild table at Springs Farmers Market in East Hampton most Saturdays. ReWild Long Island is dedicated to collaborating with local communities across Long Island to protect and improve the biodiversity, resilience and health of regional ecosystems.

Diego Osses is an Agricultural engineer with an MBA and a Masters degree in Finance who has extensive experience in farm management, international business development, and diplomacy. He brings over 25 years of experience developed in both his home country of Chile and abroad in countries such as China and Thailand. During his first year working with GVI, Diego was responsible for coordinating the 3 main GVI programs: Reservoir Community Farm, Community Gardens, and Youth Leadership; contributing to the GVI mission of creating a more just food system in Bridgeport. Currently, Diego is actively planning the extension of GVI programs throughout 2024 and exploring innovative methods of community engagement through urban gardening and farming.

My guest on this show of “Digging in the Dirt” has been Chairman of the Westport Community Gardens for 20 years. He also has been Director of Long Lots Preserve for the last 2 years and a Sixth grade science teacher for 20 years. In the past he has run programs in New York City for recycling and alternative fuels for transit buses The first time Lou was here we discussed the existential threat to the Westport Community Garden and apparently the situation has gone from bad to worse. The garden has been targeted by the towns politicians for destruction.

Up next on Digging in the Dirt is a local, guy Joe Gloria. Joe works for one of the gardening establishments just about everybody in the area has been to one time or another and that's Gilbertie's. They've always been at the forefront of organic from the beginning. Joe Gloria is a garden guru of plants, shrubs, and perennials alike. Joe Gloria has a passion for caring for plants and the people who love them! We going to learn about vermicompost teas.

My next guest is Alice Ely. Alice is a UConn Advanced Master Gardener & Master Composter, and the creator of multiple public and private butterfly gardens in Fairfield County. She speaks frequently on the importance of gardening for habitat, food and not least of all, joy. In addition to promoting native plants through the Pollinator Pathway, and educating on sustainable gardening at Westport’s Wakeman Town Farm, and Weston’s Town Farm, when she's not out digging in the dirt of her own garden, she coaches homeowners on how to garden sustainably, through her business, Gardenwithalice.com

My guest now is Raju Rajan. Raju describes himself as a technologist with a strong communitarian ethic. Raju is one of the founders of ReWild Long Island and currently serves as Board President. Raju is an avid gardener and amateur tree-enthusiast, he also owns and manages a small agroforest in India dedicated to rewilding and permaculture. ReWild Long Island is accepting applications from community groups to join their ReWild LI Gardens program.

My guest on DITD today is Ralph Baskin. Ralph is a Retired IT cost consultant turned photographer who moved to CT from NY over 40 years ago where he lives in, and has improved, a small 1890's Victorian farmhouse. Ralph and I have found common ground with our views on the environment and have had many conversations about solar which I have dabbled with and Ralph has had a lot of experience, having adding a solar system to his own home. Besides my intention to always feature local guests and listeners of WPKN, I thought we all could learn more about going solar by hearing about Ralph's experiences.

My guest today on Digging in the Dirt is Monique Bosch. Monique has designed and built over 40 edible school and community gardens and farms throughout New England, including a 2-acre urban farm in Bridgeport CT. She works with CT. NOFA as a Soil Health Technician as well. She has founded and run… for profit and non-profit entities, including Green Village Initiative (GVI) and Wiggle Room LLC. Monique teaches ‘How to Grow Your Own Food’ classes and speaks on healthy soil and community gardening, sharing her knowledge of regenerative agriculture practices, and community building. I invited her here today to talk about what we can do now… here in the fall, to better our soil so we can have successful results next spring and summer.

My guest on this segment of “Digging in the Dirt” is Chairman of the Westport Community Gardens for 20 years. He has been Director of Long Lots Preserve for the last 18 months. A Sixth grade science teacher for 20 years, has run programs in New York City for recycling and alternative fuels for transit buses. He is here to discuss the apparent existential threat to the Westport Community Garden.

My guest this afternoon is Save the sounds Soundkeeper Bill Lucey. Bill is a fish and wildlife biologist with more than two decades of experience studying and conserving marine life. He is also an experienced commercial fisherman and environmental educator. As your on-the-water watchdog, Bill upholds Save the Sound’s mission to protect and restore Long Island Sound. Bill is backed by Save the Sound’s expert legal team and water monitoring program to help identify polluters and hold them accountable. The Soundkeeper is your eyes and ears on Long Island Sound. Long Island sound

My guest this afternoon is Samuel Goldenberg. Samuel is a Grandfather, Gardener and most importantly for me a tomato grower. For 20 years, he has saved the seeds and grown them every year. They are very big Roma tomatoes and are tremendous. He even supplies some Italian restaurants in New Haven (Skappo, L'Orcio) with plants to grow ever season.

My guest this episode of DITD is Vice-President of Novamont N.A. Dan Martens. Not only are Dan and Novamont great friends of WPKN Novamont is a leader in the world of bioplastics and a long time supporter of WPKN radio. Novamont promotes a new model of bioeconomy in the logic of the circular economy, not only based on efficiency and sustainable use of renewable resources, but also as a factor for territorial regeneration.

My next guest Joe Magazzi small business man here in CT would be helpful to everyone looking to do the right thing by our gardens organically. Joe is a good friend of mine and WPKN. Joe owns and operates Green earth Ag and turf up in Branford Ct. and he’s on line at Grow it naturally. Com. Where his company sells Proven & Easy Organic Products for Plants, Turf & Trees. I personally rely on Green earth to get quality products for my own garden.

My guests on DITD today are Robert Peck and students Kimberly and DJ. Robert manages Green Village Initiatives Youth Leadership Program, which has a summer employment program in which they employ Bridgeport High School students to work and learn about how to operate an urban farm. Participants spend 8 weeks through the summer at Reservoir Community Farm learning in workshops and thru hands-on experience on the farm. , Kimberly, and Dejhanae are 2 students who are in the program under Robert. Green Village Initiative’s mission is to grow food, knowledge, leadership and community, through urban gardening and farming, and to create a more just food system.

My guest this afternoon is Mark Ridsdill Smith who wrote The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening on Chelsea Green Press. Mark has a website and Facebook page that inspires and supports people to grow food in small urban spaces. He has appear on many television shows and written for the Guardian’s Live better campaign. I'm pleased to have him here today to help us grow more food ourselves even in the tiny cramped spaces of the city.

My guest on this show is Linley Dixon back to DITD. Linley serves as a Farmer representative and Co-Director of the Real Organic Project. Linley owns a vegetable farm (marketing through a CSA, farm to school, and at farmers markets) in Durango, Colorado, with her husband and daughter. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida.

MY Guest this afternoon on DITD is Mark Haubner. Mark is currently president of the North Fork Environmental Council. With a few other thoughtful people he has started a Food Waste to Compost and a Zero Waste Initiative for the eastern communities of Long Island and that's why I asked him to be here today. The Food waste to compost pilot program has been deemed a success in 2022 and now there is a community effort to expand the project with the goal of turning 100% of the table scraps on the East end of Long Island into compost. Mark also serves as co-chairperson of the Riverhead Town Environmental Advisory Committee And he is on the Steering Committee of Drawdown East End. Mark has been environmentally conscious his whole life and over the last 15 years has been immersed in implementing sets of solutions to our problem of Planetary Overheating.